Pride and Mystery
by Lady Notorious
Summary: Peter and his fiancé, Portia, have been struggling for a few months Portia is upset that he won’t tell her the truth. So when she comes back after a long absence to find that he left that morning, her pride is hurt. But he leaves her a letter...
1. A Letter and A Memory

"Peter!" The door flew open of the university dorm room as a brunette walked into the room. She dropped the messenger bag that she had been holding onto the floor and ran past the dark man who had been sitting at a desk in the main area doing work towards the room she shared with her fiancé. She had been gone for two months on an historical dig, as she majored in history, and was anxious to see the man she would be married to in one month's time.

"Wait, Port!" the dark man said as she opened up the door to Peter Pevensie's room and stood in the entrance. The man, James Montgomery, placed a hand on her shoulder. "He left this morning," he explained. Portia Malloren didn't understand and turned around to face James and said so. "Where did he go? He couldn't have waited for me? The woman he loves?"

Portia Malloren felt the tears stinging her green eyes and looked at the room in front of her. Part of the room had her belongings in it, but the other part of the room, which had once housed her fiancé's belonging, was barren. "Where did he go?" she demanded of his best friend and roomate.

"I do not know," James said. "Port, calm down! He left a letter for you." The auburn haired woman turned to face James and he could see the fire burning in her green eyes. She was about to open her mouth to demand the letter, but he knew better than to let her speak. He had heard she and Peter argue many times and knew, although they always made up, Portia Malloren yelling was not extremly pleasant. So he reached into his pocket and handed the letter to her.

Portia ripped the letter out of James hand and looked down at it. She frowned at the wax seal, as she knew nobody who used wax seals anymore. She looked at the detail on it and was a bit shocked by its elegance. It reminded her of her own families crest, but it looked like no English crest she had ever seen before. She looked up to James, muttered, "thank you," and walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

She sat down on the bed and ripped open the letter. Her green eyes quickly scanned over the whole letter, but she had to read it over to make sure she wasn't hullucinating.

"_Portia, _

_Please don't be upset with me for leaving the morning you were coming home. I know I'm being stupid for asking you to do this, but I have to leave. I tried staying as late as I could, but I can't wait any longer. I am penning this letter for you only moments before I leave, hoping that perhaps if I take longer, you'll appear so I won't have to hand this to James to give to you. But it seems it will be that way. _

_I know you will not understand any of this, but if you love me as much as I love you, you will not question my request. In the bottom of my closet is a velvet covered box. Please do not open it, but bring it to my sister Susan. She is in our summer home, the one I took you to last summer to meet her and my other two siblings, Lucy and Edmund. She knows where I am, for she is to join me the moment she has the box. If she gives you any trouble, say the word 'Paravail', I know you will not understand, but she will. And she will take you to me. _

_Please Port, put away your pride for once and join me and my siblings. I swear, I never meant for this to happen, but it has happened and I need you to join me._

_Peter"_

Portia looked down at the letter and stared at it with confusion. She didn't understand half of it, but she did understand what he meant about her pride. But she didn't like that he wasn't telling her everything. But then again, she didn't tell him everything about herself. At least, she hadn't until a few months before she had left on the dig.

_"Peter, you're not telling me something," the auburn haired Malloren said as she sat on their bed, looking at him as he wrote a paper for one of his classes. He looked up and said nothing, then looked back down at the paper but did not continue to write. "Something big, Peter."_

_"I could say the same about you, Port," the High King said._

_"That is different, Peter!"_

_"How so? You are not telling me and I am fine with it, but I am not telling you something and you are upset. How is that fair, Portia?" the blonde demanded, putting his pen down._

_"Oh stop making it sound as if you're some magnificent person!" Portia yelled. Peter quickly lowered his eyes, knowing she would possibly kill him if she saw the laugh in his eyes. That was the first time she had ever called him by his proper title and she didn't even know it. He knew he should tell her, heavens only knows he wanted to. But she would never believe him. She would most likely send him to an asylum for saying he was the High King over his three siblings of a land called Narnia, where they lived in a castle called Cair Paravail, ruling over centaurs, nymphs, mermaids, talking animals, and more. So he couldn't tell her. "You are only human, Peter!"_

_"You don't think I know this, Port?" Peter demanded, after all, that was what caused this whole problem; he was a human, a son of Adam, which caused him to be a King of Narnia. "I am human, and because of that I can make mistakes. I'm not perfect. And neither are you. How can you demand for me to tell you everything about myself when you tell me so little? I have never even met your family members and we are getting married within the next year!"_

_Portia looked as if she had been slapped across the face and Peter wanted to get up and pull her into his arms, but he didn't; he knew she was too prideful. "You want to know about my family? Fine! The only reason I have never talked about them is because you never asked. As for meeting them, it is incredibly hard to hunt down my only brother. You know I was raised as a Lady; he is the Marquess of Rothgar. I wouldn't think you ever would want to meet him, as you've constantly told me the faults in our government! There! That is my big secret!"_

_"Your secret isn't as insane as mine is," Peter said softly. He stood up and walked towards Portia; she tried to move away from him, but he stopped her. He lifted her chin up with a finger, making her look him in the eyes. "You know I love you Port, but there are some things I can never tell you."_

_Port nodded, but Peter knew she still wanted to know. But he couldn't tell her; he silently made a vow to never tell her of his other life unless he needed to go back. But Aslan had told him he would never go back, so there was nothing to worry about._

Portia sighed, remembering that day. She knew his secret had to do with this letter and she didn't like it. What couldn't he tell her? Didn't he trust her? She sighed and ran a hand through her auburn curls. She then decided what to do. She put the letter down on the bed and walked towards the closet and got down on her knees. She poked around a bit until she found a red-velvet clad box. It was locked, but she imagined opening it. But he had asked her not to, so she wouldn't. She sighed and knew what she was going to do. It would annoy everyone who knew her, but she didn't care.

She opened up the door, with the letter and the box in hand. "James, I'm going to be gone for a few days, I think. I'm going to the country. If anyone comes for me, just tell him or her I had urgent business to attend with my brother at home. Thank you so much!" And without hearing his response, the green-eyed beauty lifted up the dropped messenger bag and ran out of the dorm, heading for the closest train station. She was going to find Peter.

A/N: Tell me what you think; review and another chapter will follow. If not… Well, I won't continue writing.


	2. Paperweights and Realizations

The auburn haired woman knocked on the door of the large estate that she had arrived at and waited for the door to open. She still didn't understand why she was here; all she knew was that she had to come. She wouldn't give up on Peter, even if he had given up on her. As she thought of this, she had to blink back tears and say a silent prayer, praying that he hadn't given up on her. She tried to reassure herself, reminding herself of all the fun times they had together. Like when they met at the concert…the many picnics they went on… Their horseback rides in the country on their weekends off. Port's thoughts rested on that last one; she loved those memories much more than all others, save one. Nearly every time the two of them had gone horseback riding, Portia had nearly fallen off her horse from laughter as she watched Peter stand on his horse. He had tried teaching her once, but she had been too afraid to stand up; in the end she just watched.

But there was one memory that surpassed all other memories and that was the night he had proposed to her. The two had been at a restaurant, just like so many other nights. Before that the two had gone to see a film, but it had been so horrid they had left halfway through it. It was like any other night and then, during desert, Peter, never being average, had handed Portia a necklace box. She had looked at him questioningly, wondering if perhaps it was already their second anniversary as they had been dating for quite some time and for their first he had given her a bracelet. She opened the box to find a necklace but hanging on it was a silver ring with a single princess cut diamond with an engraving on its underside that read 'Will you marry me?' Port had been shocked and could barely manage to nod her head, let alone say yes…

Port closed her eyes, remembering that night and they suddenly flew open as she heard the door in front of her opening up. "Hello Ms. Malloren," Susan said politely. "It's nice to see you again," she said, greeting her. "Is Peter coming in with the bags?" Portia looked at Susan with an odd look.

"I beg your pardon, but I was sent here by Peter. In a letter? He said you were to join him once I gave you this box," the green eyed woman said, motioning to the box in her hand. Susan Pevensie looked down at it and shook her head. "I have no idea what he could mean by that," the gentle woman said. "Although, if you'd like to stay here until he returns, I'm sure he'll explain it to us both. You can use the guest room you used last time."

Portia was unsure what to say, so she merely accepted the invitation and made her way towards the guest room.

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As Portia carried the box away from her, Susan couldn't take her eyes off of it. It had all been a game, so what was Peter playing at? Why had he sent his fiancé to the estate alone, with the box that held absolutely nothing of importance? Susan tried to comfort herself; but nothing worked. She was uncomfortable with this whole situation. Where was Peter anyway? She knew Lucy and Edmund had been upstairs for hours or so, but she had thought Peter was arriving today. He was supposed to be bringing Portia, not sending her to leave.

Susan thought about this as she entered the study and sat down at the desk. Although Susan was more of a socialite than a scholar, she did enjoy reading. And at the moment she was reading a book about the Queens of England so she opened up the book to the page she had left off at and started to read. And then she suddenly looked up. She could have sworn she had heard a… She shook her head. It was impossible. She continued reading and then heard it again. She knew she was hallucinating, but she closed the book anyway and turned her eyes to the small lion statuette that was used as a paperweight. And then she saw it's mouth open and a roar came out of it. She nearly let out a small cry, but didn't as it started to speak to her in a voice that seemed as if it was from a dream.

"You were once Queen Susan the Gentle," the lion said softly. "You may forget it and you may forget me, but do not forget your siblings. Lead Peter's woman into Narnia; reclaim your title as Susan the Gentle." And then the lion was silent.

"What in the world was that?" Susan looked up as she heard Portia's voice. "Did your paperweight just speak?" she asked in shock, not understanding what was going on. But Susan did; it was as if a door opened in her mind and she remembered everything. How could she have forgotten Narnia? A small smile appeared on her lips and grew wider as she looked at the box that Port still held. She stood up from the chair and walked towards Portia. "Portia, the lion did speak; it reminded me of whom I once was." Portia looked at her as if she had gone mad, but she didn't mind. "May I have the box?"

Although Port had a look of reluctance on her face, she handed it over to Susan. Susan took the velvet-clad box and brought it over to the desk. She cleared off the books and placed the box on it. She lifted the lid from the box and inhaled deeply; it was as if looking at an old friend, two for that matter. She fingered the gold crown first and then picked up the gold wreath. She nearly placed it on her head, but didn't. It didn't belong in this world, the other world. It belonged in Narnia. She placed it back on the cloth it had been sitting on until moments before, shut the box, and then picked it up. She then turned to Portia, who clearly thought her mad. "Come with me, I know where Peter is," she said. He must have arrived before she had and had entered the wardrobe before her, Lucy and Edmund must have entered when they had gone upstairs hours before.

Susan led the way out of the study and up towards the spare room and couldn't help but feeling a bit left out that the others hadn't told her what was going on; but then again, if they had, she would have just laughed at them. She smiled and silently thanked Aslan, he had pulled her out of her stupor of stupidity. Never again would she doubt Narnia. She opened the door of the spare room and saw a similar box, although blue velvet covered it, not red, resting on the floor in front of the wardrobe. She could see the indentation of two crowns sitting on it only a short time before. She was about to open the door when she heard Portia cough. She turned, about to tell her not to think her insane, but to walk into the wardrobe with her, but Port cut her off.

"Peter told me to mention Caravel to you, if you gave me any trouble. What in heavens name did he mean?" the English woman asked.

The gentle queen smiled softly, "you will see. Follow me." Before Portia could say anything else, Susan had already entered the wardrobe, taking both the red and blue boxes with her. Portia looked at the wardrobe in shock and cried, "Susan! Have you gone mad?" But she got no reply. Port looked at the wardrobe with a question in her eyes and sighed, but she stepped into it anyways.

Expecting to walk straight into Susan who would be blocked by the wall of the wardrobe, when Portia realized that there was no back and she was walking in between trees, she let out a shriek. "What in the world is going on?" she demanded of the dark haired beauty that was walking in front of her.

Susan said nothing until the two stepped out of the woods and then she smiled as she saw the lamp post in front of her. "Welcome to Narnia," Susan said to Portia. "Peter is here. Come, I'll take you to him."

Portia looked at her to see if she had gone mad, " I refuse to move until you tell me where we are."

"I just did," Susan protested. "Narnia, specifically the Lamp Post, or the entrance from Earth. Peter went through the same thing you did most likely a day or so Earth time. It could possible be a year since he arrived."

"That is impossible," Portia said. "Time does not work like that. Every place's time works the same way. Wait- what am I saying? I think I'm-" But whatever Portia thought would never be known for someone or rather, something started to speak.

"Queen Susan!" Susan looked up and saw a very familiar fawn walking towards her. "Lucy said you forgot about Narnia but I couldn't believe the Gentle could ever do so. I am so happy I found you! You must come quickly!" Tumnus started rambling but Susan, and Port for that matter, only caught a few words such as 'marriage', 'Princess' and 'Peter'.

Port felt the color in her face drain away as she heard those words. Could Peter have left her to get married to someone else? But then she looked at the messenger of this news and she shook her head. She was hallucinating; she had to be. There was a fawn for heavens sake and she had just stepped through a wardrobe. Gathering this all in, Port started feeling extremely light-headed. The next thing she knew… Well, actually, she didn't know anything. All she saw was black.

But Susan and Tumnus saw Port fall to the ground in a dead faint.

A/N: So? What does everyone think?

Oh, and for anyone who has actually read the books. I know the Last Battle should happen before this, but I decided to change it. I hated how the books ended like that, with Narnia being destroyed, so I tweaked it. But I did make it so Susan doubted Narnia for some time. Any complaints about that bit? I don't want to hear!


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